The invention relates to improvements in connectors or couplings for hoses and other types of conduits. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in so-called quick-release connectors wherein a portion of a male coupling component which is connected to a first conduit can be rapidly inserted into and rapidly withdrawn from a part of a female coupling component which is connected to another conduit
It is already known to provide the front part of a tubular female coupling component with an internal radial flank which faces away from the rear part of the female component and is located in the path of outward movement of a retaining member on the front portion of a male coupling component while the front portion extends into the front part of the female component. The outer diameter of the retaining member on the male component decreases in a direction away from the tip of the male component. The retaining member is resilient and can be deformed in the radial direction and toward the axis of the male component to permit extraction of front portion of the male component from the front part of the female component. One or more ring-shaped sealing elements are installed between the external surface of the front portion of the male component and the internal surface of the front part of the female component.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,541,658 and 4,601,497 to Bartholomew disclose swivelable quick connector assemblies wherein the retaining member is slotted to form several arms which can be pivoted by hand to disengage the arms from an internal flank of the front part of the female component. This enables the operator to extract the front portion of the male coupling component from the female component. Each arm has an external shoulder which normally engages the internal flank of the female component and is supposed to be disengaged from the flank in response to depression of the exposed end of the respective arm in a direction toward the axis of the male component. A drawback of the patented connector assembly is that the shoulder or shoulders of one or more arms are likely to be caught by the internal flank if the respective arm or arms are not adequately depressed so that the front portion of the male component cannot be extracted from the female component. Moreover, it is often necessary to exert a pronounced force in order to move the shoulders of the arms radially inwardly and beyond the internal flank of the front part of the female component. Still further, the exposed portions of the arms are relatively short so that the fingers of the hand which is supposed to maintain the arms in depressed positions preparatory to and during extraction of the male component are likely to slide off the arms.
Published German patent application No. 25 30 863 of Hammond discloses a quick-release connector wherein the front portion of the male component carries a retaining ring having a wedge-shaped cross-sectional outline. In order to permit extraction of the male component from the female component, it is necessary to first push the male component deeper into the female component whereby the retaining ring penetrates into and is deformed radially inwardly by an annular deforming member in the female component so that the retaining ring is located radially inwardly of an internal shoulder of the female component. The male component is then ready to be extracted from the female component. A drawback of the proposal of Hammond is that the two components are likely to be accidentally separated from each other as a result of unintentional penetration of the male component deeper into the female component.